The 2022 Commonwealth Games will no longer take place in Durban, South Africa, the BBC understands.
Durban was awarded the Games in 2015 as the only city to make a confirmed bid but an official announcement about it pulling out is expected later.
Last month, the South African sports minister Fikile Mbalula indicated the city may not be able to host the event because of financial constraints.
Liverpool has an expressed an interest in staging the event.
Durban 2022 would have been the first staging of the Commonwealth Games in Africa.
The Games first took place in 1930 and are held every four years, featuring athletes from more than 50 countries, mostly former British colonies.
Mbalula said of South Africa’s concerns over hosting the event: “We gave it our best shot but we can’t go beyond. If the country says we don’t have this money, we can’t.”
A spokesperson for Liverpool city council said: “We had heard rumours that Durban might be unable to deliver the Commonwealth Games in 2022 and have already indicated to the government that we are very willing to host them instead.”
Source: BBC
